Talk:Sparks Will Fly (2)/@comment-3575890-20140420174810
I cannot remember if I ever explained why I love Cersei Lannister or not, but I feel because she doesn't get much love and appreciation within any corner of any of the fandoms, I'd post my essay highlighting the many reasons I adore her: There is a complexity to Cersei than what shows on the surface. She`s caught in between two absolutes of good and evil. In one way, she is power-mongering and psychotic and in the other way, she is deeply feeling and nurturing. She is neither one more than the other. Her thirst for power derives from her passionate nature and heightened emotions, and her killer instincts when it comes to protecting her children is fueled by the monster within. Cersei is that crazy bitch trope you just love to hate and then some. More than that though, she is a strong, independent thinking woman who refuses to be silenced by the demands of the patriarchy, instead expressing her contempt for the system and underhandedly fighting it every small step of the way. Given this show can be quite the sausage fest (even though it has very strong female leads), empowered females are few and far between at times on this show. Cersei is one female lead who’s characterization transcends typical archaic gender-based roles for it’s time and setting. She may still be consigned to gender-specific constraints, being of the times and all, but she is a powerhouse. She attains, harnesses, utilizes and exudes it, all while under restricted conditions. She’s audacious and passionate; headstrong, and deliciously manipulative. Cersei’s intrinsic being accurately mirrors her upbringing and surrounding environment. I think Cersei has had a really tough life overall that has driven her to the point of where she is now. Her actions are influenced by her hunger for power, and her hunger for power stems from her inherent inclination to maintain and ensure that power never slips from her grasp. The abuse she repeatedly suffered at the hand of Robert was just the tip of the iceberg that triggered deep-rooted instincts of survival. Cersei operates by a single philosophy based around survival and self preservation. She does what she can to get by, living within her means, whilst persevering for so much more. She plots and she schemes to obtain the life she feels she deserves, but is perpetually deprived of because society relegates her to a half-life wherein her reality can never meet with her needs. But Cersei is not one to ever yield to defeat either. She’s prepped to take Westeros by storm if the opportunity should ever arise. Now I`ve come to find that wherein Cersei is most a victim of oppression is manifested in her overall reception of the fandom. I can understand if Cersei is not everyone`s cup of tea, and I have nothing against those that dislike Cersei, but I can’t help but note that some fans operate by double standards when it comes to her. People affix negative connotations to every attribute of Cersei’s personality that lends to establish her as the powerful sovereign she is, while praising those very qualities represented in male characters. Cersei asserts her feminine wiles and sexual freedoms, and she is a whore. But male characters can spread their seed — not always with regard for consent (Khal Drogo, here’s looking at you) — as far and wide as across the whole continent of Westeros (or Essos for that matter) and generate more positive reception from the overall consensus. I mean, if you want a prime example of a whore in every sense of the meaning of the word, look no further than him. Or Robert Baratheon for that matter. I don’t know how acclaimed his character is with the viewership mind you, but I know for certain he isn’t typically slut-shamed for his long line of conquests. Yes, Cersei partakes in incest and she had a child thrown from a tower, but she is not the only character to stir controversy and commit trace amounts of depravity. The fact of the matter is that if we held every character contemptible to every injurious or despicable action of their`s, with zero mitigation or abandon, there would be no characters left to like on this show. Cersei is flawed like most of everyone else in the series. The primary distinction though, is in that she is widely reprimanded for her wrongdoings, while other characters are absolved and dismissed of acts of proportionate malignance. Look at Drogo for example; raped his bride, authorized and institutionalized the gang rapes of countless innocent women and obviously partook in the acts himself; pillaged villages and killed innocents in cold blood. But in spite of all that, many people like Drogo and ship him with Dany. Who is anyone to judge? It’s a television show and these characters aren’t exactly close representations of modern living people in the real world, so it’s kind of a moot principle to hold them to standards that apply to our far more contemporary world. You don’t have to like Cersei as a person, to enjoy her as a character. Just saying. Plus, I mean she gave us these wonderful few seconds: I understand that Tyrion has done the same honors, but Cersei's slap had more impact. Pun totally intended.